Yemen's government said Sunday it will accept a truce offer only if the rebels operating in the country's north comply with six previously laid-out conditions.

The Shiite Muslim rebels, known as the Houthis, had indicated Saturday that they were open to a cease-fire and to accepting the government conditions. But they demanded an end to military operations first.

The intractable stance on both sides means the conflict, which had lasted more than five years, is likely to continue.

In August, Yemen laid out cease-fire terms that included removing checkpoints, ending banditry, handing over all military equipment and weapons, and releasing civilians and military personnel. Yemen also demanded the rebels stop entering its northern neighbor, Saudi Arabia.

The next month, government officials said Houthi leaders twice rejected the terms.

But the rebels, in their offer of truce Saturday, said they had repeatedly declared they wanted to end the conflict.

"And here, since we are so keen on ending this bloodshed and in order to avoid the catastrophic situation that the country is heading toward and in order to end the acts of genocide against civilians, we renew for the fourth time what we previously announced, our acceptance of the five points that the Yemeni government asked for, after they end the aggression," Houthi rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in an audio recording on the group's Web site.

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